The long term objective of this program of research is to investigate the role of social awareness in the development of communication in autistic persons. The proposed new studies will address three areas in the social and communicative functioning of persons with autism, using two groups of high-functioning, verbal persons with Autistic Disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Group I: IQ great than or equal to 85, n = 20; Group III: IQ 55-84, n = 20) and two comparison groups of non-autistic subjects matched for verbal mental age (Group II: IQ greater than or equal to 85, n = 20; Group IV: IQ 55-84, n = 20). The first set of studies (Specific Aim I) will extend the investigators previous work by examining production and comprehension of specific kinds of narrative language in autism (Loveland, Tunali, McEvoy, & Kelley, 1989; Loveland, McEvoy, Tunali, & Kelley, 1990; Loveland & Tunali, in press). The second set of studies (Specific Aim II) will examine social perception and social judgement by autistic persons in communicative situations, extending earlier theoretical empirical work by the investigators (Loveland, 1991; Loveland & Tunali, 1991;C). Loveland, in press). The third set of studies (Specific Aim III) will use dichotic listening techniques to continue the investigators' current work examining Perception of affect in communicative situations by autistic persons. The proposed studies will be cross-sectional in design, and-all subjects are expected to participate in all studies. Results are expected to improve understanding of the role of social understanding in the development of communication skills in persons with autism.